Last season, the Jets ranked 31st in the NFL in passing yards, 28th in passing touchdowns, and dead last in passing first downs. Former head coach and “offensive play-designer” Adam Gase was most of the problem. Quarterback Sam Darnold was part of the problem. Another part of the problem is that Darnold’s primary targets were Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, Braxton Berrios, Chris Herndon, and Denzel Mims. If your response to that lineup is, “Who?”, that’s kind of the point.
On Monday, the Jets took a big step forward in improving that anonymous receiver corps by agreeing to terms with former Titans receiver Corey Davis. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s a three-year, $37.5 million deal with $27 million in guaranteed money.
With the emergence of A.J. Brown as a true threat in the passing game for the Titans last season, Davis settled into a role as perhaps the second fiddle in the team’s passing attack. But there was a stretch in the middle of the 2020 campaign that highlighted some of what makes him a dangerous threat in the downfield passing game. In games against the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions, Davis caught 14 passes for 292 yards and a pair of touchdowns, showing that when given the opportunity he can be a factor as well for an offense.
What stands out watching Davis on film is how well he maintains speed on his breaks. Whether working towards the middle of the field or the sideline, Davis accelerates into and out of cuts, gaining and/or extending separation away from the nearest defenders.
In terms of a scheme fit, Davis projects best to more vertical offenses. He can operate in more of a West Coast system that relies on short-area quickness and yardage after the catch, given his ability as a ball-carrier, but I think his best fit is as a downfield weapon operating off the more vertical stem of the route tree. Former 49ers passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur, who worked with Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland and Atlanta as well, is the Jets’ new offensive coordinator, and will most likely feature a passing gave featuring both West Coast and vertical elements. So, a rather nice fit on a team where he immediately becomes the alpha receiver for whoever quarterbacks the Jets in 2021 and beyond.